


Dimension Jumper

by CoffeeNova



Category: Layton Brothers: Mystery Room, Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series, Layton Kyouju vs Gyakuten Saiban | Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: And also a lot of angst, Dealing With Trauma, F/F, Get ready to be smothered, Lots of healing to be had, M/M, More Character and relationship tags will be added as I go along, Moving on in relationships, Multi, This is an AU, and a lot of fluff, dimension hopping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:54:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22192888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoffeeNova/pseuds/CoffeeNova
Summary: Everyone thought Claire Foley was lost in the explosion at the lab ten years ago. They mourned for her, spent years wondering what could've been done differently. If she could've been saved. The world called their experiment foolish, an insult to science; a mistake. Little did they know that the experiment succeeded, just not in the way they thought. Instead of going through time, Claire Foley was shot into another dimension. Now, eleven years later, she's finally found a way back after leaping from each cruel dimension to the other, only to be hit with the harsh reality that the world moved on without her. Now, she must deal with her most difficult challenge yet: overcoming her experiences and rebuilding her life.
Relationships: Claire/Hershel Layton, Desmond Sycamore/OC, Emmy Altava/Claire, Hershel Layton/Phoenix Wright/Miles Edgeworth
Comments: 3
Kudos: 22





	1. Rough Landing

The streets of London were quiet at this time of night. Normally bustling streets were empty, save for the occasional car and the howls of cold wind that chilled the city's stone walkways. Nobody cared to be out so late, and the dark clouds that rumbled over head only provided more incentive to curl up inside with a warm drink.

Which is exactly what one Hershel Layton, puzzle solver and archeologist extraordinaire was currently doing, tucked quite happily between his husbands with a hand-warming cup of his favorite, earl grey tea, held close to his chest.

Sat to his left, with a very content smile on his face and his eyes closed, was defense attorney Phoenix Wright. To his right, was chief prosecutor Miles Edgeworth with his nose tucked in a book, like always. Their warmth against Hershel's sides and the gentle glow of their bedside lamp in the room served as comfort to him, as a loud rumble echoed above them yet again.

"It sounds like there's going to be a dreadful storm..." Hershel mused, bringing the cup up to his lips.

"Indeed." Miles glanced up from his book to peer out the window,"With luck, it will blow over by tomorrow morning."

"I heard on the news this morning we're supposed to be getting storms for this entire week." Phoenix mumbled, opening one eye,"Even if it stops tomorrow, it'll probably start right back up again in the night or something."

"I certainly hope not. If it should continue to rain, we may have floods, and I wouldn't like to cancel my classes..."

"I'm sure the weather will pass." Edgeworth closed his book with a soft 'pap', placing it on the bedside table along with his glasses."Are you finished your tea, Hershel?"

"I am. Are we ready to retire?" Hershel handed his cup over, adjusting his pillows and laying back as Edgeworth placed it down alongside his book.

"I've been waiting to sleep this entire time!" Phoenix sounded quite happy, despite the groggy edge to his voice, rolling onto his side and eagerly draping an arm over the small man next to him, to which Edgeworth rolled his eyes, pulling the lamp string and copying Phoenix as darkness flooded the room. The two lawyers laced their fingers together as their hands met, snuggling close and tucking their faces into the sides of Hershel's neck, who seemed as happy as ever. Held close to each other and tucked in so comfortably, it didn't take long for sleep to overcome the trio as outside, rain started to patter down.

———

On the other side of London, the rain poured down harshly, thunder roaring from the skies. Water flowed quickly through the gutters of the city, washing away the built up muck and dead leaves that had fallen into them, and the occasional bug got swept along.

In an old alleyway, there was a sudden burst of bright blue light- a flash, as a portal opened. Rats and stray cats in the alleyway scattered, one poor feline running into a trash can that came clattering down as it scuttled away with its companions. A hooded figure fell out the portal, right into a puddle with a ‘splash’. The portal ‘vvrrr’ed, before slowly swirling closed, leaving no evidence it was even there.

With a grunt, the figure slowly wobbled to their feet. The rain soaked through their clothing almost immediately, turning the fabric a muddy brown, and with a curse, they hobbled under a nearby awning. It had holes, and was falling apart, but it would have to do for now. Leaning against the wall, they pulled up their sleeve, examining the glowing watch currently being worn on a pale, freckled hand. 

It glowed gently, energy pulsing beneath its sturdy casing as the time and location came up on screen. 12:47am, London.

A brief glance around told them they had jumped to the wrong location, but finding their way around should be of little issue. All that was needed was a road sign, or a familiar business- landmark- anything.

As deep brown eyes scanned the alleyway, they came to rest upon an old old mirror tossed next to the trash. Staring at herself was the long thought dead Claire Foley. 

She looked worse than she’d thought.

Deep bags were prominent under her eyes, even in the dim light of the alley. Her face was covered in dust, dirt and ash; once healthy ginger hair was now knotted and dirty, flowing past her shoulders. She wrinkled her nose unhappily and made a mental note to clean up before she did anything else. Letting Hershel see her like this would only cause concern, and she wouldn’t want him to be worried about her. 

Of course, she would also have to find him first...

How long had it been since the incident...? Claire wasn’t quite sure. With each dimension she moved through, each having its own different concept of time, she had lost track. She had been in some dimensions for years, and hopping into another would completely reverse time for her. She wasn’t even sure if she’d aged a day since she first got launched.

....

Shaking uncertain thoughts out of her head, she pulled her ragged jacket tighter and shuffled along to find a hotel. She should have enough money for a couple of weeks of stay...hopefully she can get some new clothes as well...and hopefully, she would be able to contact Hershel soon.

Despite the cold chilling her bones and the uncomfortable weight of her wet clothing, excitement bubbled beneath the surface. She would get to see Hershel again. _Her_ Hershel. Alfendi too. She wondered if her little boy has grown at all...  
Not to mention Clark and Brenda...

A smile slowly came across her face. This was it. No more dodging danger. No more fearing for her life or wondering who would try to kill her with each jump.

She was done.

She was _home._


	2. Broken Past, Lost Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire and Hershel reunite.

Rain poured against the window of the hotel room. The only light that was on was the bedside lamp, and the dim red glow of the numbers on the alarm clock. Claire lay there, staring up at the roof.

She had gotten in, peeled off her clothes and tossed them over the head of a chair nearby to dry, then laid down to rest for a moment. However the second her body hit the bed she became very highly aware of just how sore and tired she was. She hurt in places she didn’t even know she could hurt. Dimensional travel was a real strain on the body...

With nothing but the sound of the rain filling the room, Claire’s mind wandered back to happier times. Times with her and Hershel at the university...when she had first given him that letter. She had never felt such a strong pull to be around someone before, and she had never felt so nervous to be around someone either. That same nervousness bubbled in her stomach when she thought of seeing him again. She hadn’t even gotten the opportunity to check the date yet, so she didn’t know how old he would be, or if he was even still alive...

If only she had the time to add that feature into her watch. Calculating dates after jumping through portals however was significantly more difficult than estimating time based on environment. Her watch had even been off in its estimate...she would need to fix that as well. It would’ve been much easier if she had help...she went from lab assistant to working on her own within the blink of an eye.

How was Dmitri..? How was Bill? Were they still working together? What had been their reaction to her disappearance..? Did they realize the experiment had worked? What had even become of the experiment after she got shot through? Had it been further developed? Did they scrap it? If they'd continued to develop it, it would be a marvel of modern technology. Surely she would have seen something posted about it, or heard about it. Then again, she hadn't exactly gotten the chance to mingle, or do any real investigating...

She hoped to see Dmitri and Bill again.

......

Would they be happy to see her?

Claire had so many things on her mind. It was making her head hurt. 

With a grunt, she pushed herself up on shaky, unwilling arms and dragged herself to the bathroom. 

The light buzzed as it clicked on, its dull yellow glow and occasional flicker serving as a reminder of how cheap this place was. After battling with the shower curtains and managing to get past them, Claire made a face as she stepped into the shower, almost slipping on the slimy tile, the lurch having made her glasses now askew on her face, crooked and pulled up too high on one side. She huffed, fixed them, and set her eyes on her next target. The shower knob was rusty and looked like it hadn't been used in ages.Claire felt even more disgusted with her feet touching the tile now. She grasped the knob, grunting as her attempts to twist it were unsuccessful. Taking a breath and cracking her knuckles, she grasped it with both hands and _twisted._ It suddenly creaked and Claire _yelped_ as she slid to the side, and cold water hit her skin. It was colder than the rain water, how the hell was that possible?!

With chattering teeth, Claire Foley stood upright, hugged herself and decided she hated- er, greatly disliked this place.

She didn’t have the energy to dry her hair when she finished up, pulling on one of the complimentary robes that was hanging behind the bathroom door. It was pink- or at least it was at some point. It had been bleached down to a sort of peach-cream colour. The fabric was rough and irritated her skin, but at this point she was too tired to care. With a ‘pmf’ she flopped face first into the bed, uncaring if her hair wet the sheets or if the sheets themselves were even clean. With her mind finally quiet, finally being clean and calm, her eyes drifted shut as the exhaustion finally hit head on and just like that, she was out like a light.

————

The weather had improved quite a bit by morning. It was looking to be a cool, cloudy day- which was perfect for Hershel. He enjoyed these mornings after the rain very much. Phoenix always slept in after rainy nights, so right now, it was just him and Miles in the kitchen- both stirring their warm cups of tea.

The house was quiet, and they didn't truly need to make conversation, content in each other's company and the peaceful quiet. It was warm inside, a sure contrast to the air that blew gently outside, gently ruffling the leaves of the garden beside the window. Idly, Hershel noted that he should put a note up to ensure Phoenix didn't water them again. He quite liked his flowers and would rather them not drown. 

Once he and Miles finished preparing their tea, they swapped cups, and brought them up to their lips to sip- letting out content 'aah's.

"Perfect as always. You know just how I like it." Miles leaned down to give his husband a kiss on the cheek, which made Hershel smile and look down at his cup sheepishly.

"I've always been told I've got a talent for tea."

The gentle sound of Miles' chuckle filled the air, and Hershel felt his heart swell. "Well, you certainly do."

They both took another sip from their cups, Miles leaning back against the counter and sighing through his nose gently as Hershel leaned against chest. They both took another sip, before the smaller man turned to the side slightly to look up at the prosecutor. Miles hmmed questioningly- and upon seeing Hershel's expression he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to his lips, his free hand settling quite happily around Hershel's waist. When they both pulled away, Hershel brought one hand up to stroke over Miles' cheek gently, smiling as their eyes met and he saw the softness and care held within them. It always took him off guard. 

It had taken both him and Miles some time to get used to being affectionate with each other. Originally, they were just held together by Phoenix, but within the past few years they had learned that all three of them had several things in common(pain filled pasts, for one.) and bit by bit, Phoenix had managed to get both of them to open up. Their shared hardships and similarly logical approaches had brought them closer, and with Phoenix's encouragement they had started spending more one-on-one time together. Hershel could still remember his embarrassment when they had gone out on their first official 'date'. He was far more nervous without Phoenix there, and their combined reputations made it very easy to be recognized in public. There had been...many questions that day. They'd hardly even gotten time to talk. Thankfully, they had many, more private dates after that- coming to enjoy the others company very much.

Phoenix had been over the moon about it. He still was. If he woke and came down to find the two of them like this he would surely make a very...high pitched noise. The last time Miles had called it a squeak he hadn't been happy. Hershel preferred to call it a squeal.

He didn't like that name for it either.

"Mm...we should go get ready for work." Hershel mumbled, pulling away from the warm embrace begrudgingly and stretching- before putting their empty mugs in the sink.

"Indeed. I've got a big case coming in today."

"Oh? So I suppose your late nights are going to be starting up again."

"...perhaps. You aren't one to talk about late nights, however."

Hershel laughed, smiling gently at his husband. "Shall we wake Phoenix?"

"...hmm. No- let him sleep in. It will be all the more amusing to watch him panic when he does wake up."

"Miles!" Hershel scolded gently. He didn't mean it of course. They both knew that Miles would wake Phoenix went he went back upstairs. 

Once they finished some good-natured bickering and teasing, they parted to go get ready for work. As Hershel was putting on his hat, he heard the tell-tale 'thump' of Phoenix falling off the bed and scrambling to get ready, and he stifled his chuckle in his hand. He left the house that morning with a smile, as he did every morning, and drove through the puddle-filled streets of London to Gressenheller.

————

Keys jingled as Hershel opened the door to his office. He hummed, holding a folder with papers under his arm- and he leaned in, flicking on the light. However, before he stepped in, something on the floor caught his eye. 

"What's this..?" He leaned down, picking it up and looking it over. It was a letter...it had no return address, which Hershel found odd. It had no name on it either, which made it even stranger. Stepping in and closing the door, he carefully peeled the envelope open, pulling the letter out and opening it up. 

'Hello, Hershel Layton,  
You may not remember me. We met a long time ago. It has been...many years. I heard that you have built up quite the reputation for yourself, and am writing to you today to ask for your help. I cannot meet you in person at this time, but it would mean very much to me if you could come to The Ivy Restaurant tonight, at 7pm. I will be waiting for you inside. I hope you will recognize me when you see me.'

Hershel stared at the letter for a very long time. It was not uncommon for him to receive letters asking for his help, but they were usually filled with vivid detail to describe exactly what was puzzling the sender to give him an idea of the situation. This letter was vague, mysterious. And why that restaurant of all places? He hadn't been there- not since...

...

Was someone trying to play a joke on him? Perhaps it was Randall. He always had strange ways to announce himself whenever he came into London to visit. Regardless, Hershel was intrigued. 

His classes would finish late today, so once they were done he would call Phoenix and Miles and let them know, then go straight to the restaurant.

This would be interesting.

————

The Laytonmobile puttered up front to the restaurant. It had started to rain again, pattering gently on the roof of the oddly-shaped car. Thankfully, there was parking near the entrance of the restaurant so he would be able to run inside without getting too soaked.

Meanwhile, inside, Claire was sitting at their table. She tapped her fingers against the cloth nervously, glancing to the clock on the wall and looking up on occasion to the doorway. He would be able to see her the second he came into the dining area. If he came. No- no. He would. From what she could gather, he always came when he was presented with a puzzle. And figuring out who sent him that letter was a puzzle in and of itself. Hopefully, with an answer that he would be happy about...

She shook her head. No- of course he would be happy to see her. Surprised, maybe, yes- but still happy. Had he missed her..? She hoped so. She missed him so very badly. And she had so many questions. She made a note not to blurt them all out too quickly. 

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as she spotted the silk top hat come into view, and her heart was suddenly in her throat as Hershel Layton stood at the top of the stairs. Their eyes met, and the thrumming in her ears grew louder. She found it difficult to breathe, and for a moment complete unbridled joy filled her entire being. It was really _him..._

However, her joy dissipated just as quick as it had formed. She watched as Hershel’s eyes widened and his jaw hung slack, working uselessly as he stared, frozen in place. Within them she saw: shock, confusion, disbelief- and for a moment- distrust. He looked as though he expected his eyes to be tricking him; as though he’d just been told the cruelest joke. Claire felt that nervousness bubbling in her gut come back full force, and she suddenly felt nauseous.

To reassure both Hershel and herself, she stood, dressed in her tattered clothes- but she had her tell-tale ponytail and her glasses, wearing the brightest smile she could manage and she hoped that she looked as he remembered. She watched with baited breath as Hershel took one hesitant step forward, then another, and another- until he was sliding into his seat. 

Claire followed his lead and sat back down as well, swallowing thickly as she felt bile rising in her throat. The silence, although it had only spanned for a short amount of time, was unbearable. Why wasn’t he saying anything? Why wasn’t _she_ saying anything? 

The silence continued until the waitress came over, taking their orders for two cups of tea and going on her way.

Only then, did Claire finally feel like Hershel truly saw her.

“How...how is this...possible?” Disbelief still lined his tone, as he observed her face carefully. He thought he would never see her face again...he had committed it to memory the last time he saw it. From the dimples when she smiled to every freckle that was dusted across her skin. It had to be her. It was too precise. But it wasn’t possible.

“That- is a very long story...to make it short and simple- I’ve been lost in different dimensions for, well, eleven years for you. But its been more than that for me.”

Hershel had been on adventures with stranger occurrences. This was easy for him to believe. Yet he found it difficult to process. “But- you haven’t even aged a day! That- you look the exact same...”

“Do I? Well...I suppose I am the same. Time and dimensions are- complicated...and I suppose they have to have some consequence for traveling them...” Claire took a breath as she averted her eyes, picking at some lint on the table cloth.

“...Claire, I...” Hershel’s voice cracked slightly,”How? How can you be so nonchalant about this? Its been eleven years...I thought- I thought you were dead...”

Anxiety and uncertainty boiled under the surface the more they talked. Maybe Claire shouldn’t have done this...maybe contacting him was a bad idea. “I- I’m sorry. I didn’t want to cause a scene. But I missed you, Hershel. Very much. Are you- are you doing well-?”

It was at this point her eyes drifted across the table and settled on Hershel’s clasped hands- and then she saw the wedding rings.

Two? Two rings? He was married? To...to two people?

She shouldn’t have done this. She shouldn’t have come. She should have left him alone. This was an awful, horrible, messed up mistake. 

Now she really wanted to throw up.

“...I- I am. Its taken me some time, but I am doing- well. I missed you, too.” Hershel kept the fact that he had only recently accepted her death to himself. Now all the emotions he had previously come to terms with had surged to the surface, and he found himself caught in a situation where he was absolutely clueless on what to do.

And that scared him more than anything.

“...so- who’re the lucky people?”

“I- beg your pardon?”

Claire’s eyes rose to meet his again, and she hoped he couldn’t see the pain hidden behind them. “The rings. You’re married, aren’t you?”

“Oh.” Oh no. “Yes- I am. Two husbands. They’re ah- both lawyers.”

Claire blinked. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you, Hershel.”

“Thank you.”

This felt wrong. So very wrong. They were both so stiff, so hesitant and unsure. So much time had passed. So many things had happened. Too much time. Too many things.

“...you’re really here.” Hershel mumbled.

“I am.” Claire didn’t know what else to do, so she nodded her head.

“I...” He looked like he wanted to say something. Claire knew that look. It was the look he had when he was trying to break something gently. She knew now, in her gut, that she should leave it here. Hershel was married. Happily so, it looked like. Her presence wasn’t needed- and it would only cause trouble.

“Its alright, Hershel. I just wanted to let you know that I’m alive. And I’m here now.” Claire gave a final smile, much weaker than the rest, and slowly rose out of her chair. She wanted _out._ Out. Out. And fast.

“Claire- wait! Please- do- do you at least have somewhere to stay?”

“I’m staying at a hotel. Its- cheap, but I’ll be alright.”

“Claire, please- at least let me help you find a more permanent place of residence.”

“Hershel-“

“ _Please._ ” He sounded pleading. A memory flashed briefly. _I can’t lose you again. I won’t!_

“...I- a-alright. Here.” Claire pulled a pen out her pocket and scribbled the number for the hotel she was staying at on a napkin. “Ask for Celeste Foley.”

“Alright. Celeste Foley.” The name carried a bitter taste in his mouth, and he pocketed the tissue, rising out his seat as well.

Once Hershel paid for their tea(much to Claire’s displeasure) they walked out the restaurant together. A simple wave goodbye was given before they went their separate ways.

————

The second Hershel entered the house Phoenix and Miles knew something was wrong. He was pale, and looked as though he had just seen a ghost. Their alarm and concern only intensified as their husband came crashing into their arms, sobbing. After sharing a confused glance with each other, they simply held him and comforted him.

Claire however, was alone as she wobbled into the hotel room, slamming the door shut behind her and letting out the choked sob she had been holding in since she left the restaurant. It had all gone so wrong. It was unfair. She should never have gotten launched through that portal. She should have been here. She should have been sitting at that table with a ring on _her_ finger to match his. She was jealous, upset, angry.

But it all fizzled away into a loneliness that she felt was pulling her into a deep, dark void, and she couldn’t pull away from it. Of course the world had moved on. Of course Hershel had moved on. She was so happy with the prospect of getting to see him again, she hadn’t even considered it. She didn’t even get to ask him how Alfendi was doing, if he was alright...or about Brenda and Clark- and sweet little Luke...she had just become so overwhelmed with fear and regret...

He wasn’t her Hershel anymore, and that was fine. But one thing was very, very clear to her in this particular moment in time.

This dimension didn’t need Claire Foley to come back.


	3. Unwelcome Guests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire Foley has risen from the dead, and someone seems keen on sending her back to the grave.

It had been a week since Claire and Hershel met in The Ivy Restaurant. 

Once Claire had, for the most part, sorted out the mass of emotions that came over her after they parted- she got to work on sorting out the legal disaster that was her essentially 'coming back' to life. Nobody had recognized her when she first walked into the office, but as soon as she'd told them her name everyone had gone pale. It made sense. She was supposed to be dead. Showing up again after eleven years was bound to leave people wondering where she had been and asking questions that she couldn't answer. It was beyond difficult, though. She had to go through extensive tests to prove her identity, and once she had actually managed to get that done, she had the media storm brewing to worry about. People would talk. Finding a job and a place to live would be much harder with her face plastered in every news paper and television program, saying goodness knows what about why she disappeared. She had no doubt they would spin some sort of ridiculous story that couldn't be true, and she was ready to face whatever slander would come her way.

However, before that happened, she had a _lot_ that she needed to do. Finding Alfendi and telling him herself that she was alive was currently her number one priority. The last thing she wanted was him finding out because of the news. Dmitri and Bill could come later. She was sure Dmitri wouldn't be happy with finding out about her that way, but as it stood right now she simply didn't have the time to talk to all of them before it blew up. She also needed to get her ID, which was taking much longer than it should have. She needed that before she could get a drivers license and she needed it if she wanted to be able to buy a house. Not that she even had the money for that right now...

There was just so much she had to do, and time was running out. Her savings were running low. Only a week left before she couldn't afford to stay at the hotel anymore...once that time was up, her options became infinitely more limited. She had no means of transportation (her watch didn't count.) and the only place she might be able to stay was with Hershel. She didn't want to burden him like that.

Not to mention with the current awkward state of their relationship, it would surely put pressure on his husbands as well. Staying with Hershel would be completely off the table for the moment.

With a deep sigh, Claire rose from her place on the bed and checked the clock. Only an hour until sundown. Gathering the absolute minimum of cash that she needed, she pulled on her coat, flicked the hood up and left to go buy dinner.

———————

The streets were relatively quiet as Claire walked. There had been a cheap chinese food place right around the corner, and she had just enough for a box of noodles and some soup, which were neatly packed in the white plastic bag that hung from her wrist.

London wasn’t exactly a bustling city once the sun went down. There was an occasional person strolling along that Claire would greet with a polite ‘hello’ and a small wave. Otherwise, she found herself walking alone. Crime wasn’t uncommon, so she kept alert, but it wasn’t a far walk.

However, as Claire turned the corner she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She was silhouetted against the light from the television sets in the store window, currently soundlessly displaying her name and face across them with ‘Scientist miraculously back from the dead’ boldly lettered across the screen.

She heard footsteps approaching rapidly and all her muscles tensed. Just as they came up directly behind her, she sidestepped and spun- a flash of blue light just barely missing her face by a few inches. She took a few quick steps back as she came face to face with her attempted assailant. 

They wore the most basic of gear- all over black with a hood pulled up, sunglasses hiding their eyes and a plain grey mask covering their mouth and nose. 

Her first assumption was that she was being mugged.

However, she didn’t have time to think as a fist came barreling towards her face and she stumbled, feeling her back make contact with a hard chest. They grabbed hold of her, pinning her arms to her sides. Claire felt panic welling up- but she sucked in deep breaths through her nose to keep a clear head.

She raised her foot and _stomped_ it down, hearing the person behind her yelp loudly. The second their grip slackened she raised her elbow and rammed it into their side. She heard something metallic clink onto the ground and adrenaline surged through her.

Her original attacker lunged at her again. She dove to the side, hissing as her arm grazed the jagged, unpainted stone wall of the store and felt some of the fabric of her sleeve tear- but thankfully they had smacked right into their comrade, the two assailants tumbling into the sidewalk. 

“Stop her!” An unfamiliar voice yelled, and she heard more footsteps coming from down the road.

Claire forced herself to move, rushing off as fast as her legs could take her. Her heartbeat thumped loudly in her ears as she heard yelling from behind her. A gunshot rang out and she cried out in surprise as a bullet whizzed past her head. Her legs pumped faster. She wasn’t really paying attention to where she was going, sprinting through alleyways and clambering over fences until she was sure it would be next to impossible to follow her tracks.

She finally came to a stop near an old bridge, panting hard and ducking underneath it, plopping down onto the wet earth. The stone and dirt felt pleasantly cool against her heated skin, and she swallowed thickly as she brushed some strands of hair that stuck to her sweat covered forehead away. Her muscles burned from overexertion and she wondered just how far she had ran. 

It smelled musky and old. She would be uncomfortable later but for now, she was safe. 

Once her heartbeat and breaths had regulated, she tried to properly think over what just happened. 

There was absolutely no way that was a mugging.

They were too prepared. There were too many of them and a strategy was clear; if she hadn’t put up a fight, if she hadn’t managed to dodge- she would’ve surely been caught. And likely would’ve been dead by now. For once, she thanked her past experiences.

But, if that wasn’t people trying to mug her, then there could only be one other possible conclusion. Someone was after her. Someone with a lot of power. She had only been back for a little over a week now.

Hershel telling someone about her device was out of the question. He would never. And it was too soon for anyone to start speculating on the news about the specifics of her return.

No matter what way she looked at it, she couldn’t understand. She didn’t have enough information.

Another deep sigh left her body, and she suddenly realized that her bag was still around her wrist.

Well, aside from the food being cold and the soup spilling, at least she still had something. Maybe spending the night under a bridge wouldn’t be so bad.

At least it would be comfortable and a lot cleaner than her hotel room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this chapter's taken so long to come out. I'm afraid this fic isn't on a strict update schedule, and I got sidetracked with life and some other ideas that came through. Not to worry, my plans for this fic are still flowing strong and this story will have an end. Thank you for your patience and for sticking around for new chapters ^^


	4. Dealing with Avoidance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hershel contemplates the return of his lost sweetheart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read the note at the end of the chapter!

Hershel tapped his index finger against the rim of his cup.

His office was quiet. He'd finished teaching his last class of the day maybe...half an hour ago? At first his intention was simply to sit and have a nice cup of tea while he marked papers but, in the silence of the room with a task he could do with his eyes closed, it was easy for ones thoughts to wander. With his mind wandering, his eyes did too- darting about his office after he spun his chair around. It was a mess, as usual, though he would prefer to think of it as 'organized chaos'. Even with all the clutter, he knew where everything was if he needed it. It was comforting.

Gressenheller was comforting. It was his constant. No matter where his adventures took him, no matter how far, he would always come right back here. At this point it was more of a second home to him, really. Especially considering how many times he's fallen asleep in his office and slept until the next morning.

The sounds of quick footsteps and laughter brought Hershel's attention to his office window. There were still students out and about- which was to be expected, but two students in particular caught his eye. A young man and woman- standing under a tree, exchanging letters.

Ah, yes...how familiar.

He couldn't help but smile as his own memories of being under that very tree came flooding back to him. He could see it in his mind, clear as day, Claire and himself standing there. He remembered how terribly nervous he was. How overjoyed he became once they both admitted their feelings.

How curious that a memory could bring such happiness; and such heaviness as well.

Hershel was a happy man, there was no doubt about that. He loved his husbands with all his heart and he wouldn't give them up for anyone in the world. However, old wounds still ache. While he knew he was happy and that he had moved on, it wasn't an easy feat to simply forget about Claire. All the plans that they had made, the years they spent together. Everything was ripped away from them- from him, so suddenly. Her reappearance brought all his regrets bubbling to the surface. 

He also couldn't help but be awed by the fact that she had been alive this entire time. That different dimensions existed. What had she seen? What had she been through? It was a wonder of technology, yes, but Hershel worried for her state of mind. 

Her eyes had held such weight and emotion when he saw her. He could recognize the pain held within them. He knew that she wasn't the same Claire that she had been on the day that he lost her.

It made him worry terribly. 

Her clothes had been tattered and her hair was a mess. Even though she had tried to hide it, she was skinnier too.

Now Hershel felt like a fool. He froze. He should have offered her a place to stay, offered to buy her a meal. To take care of her. It would've been the gentlemanly thing to do, and yet he froze. He let her leave with nothing but a number to find her by. 

He hadn't even called. What must she think...?

Upon coming to this realization Hershel stood up, quickly tapping at his pockets and checking within them. He pulled out lint, money, quite a few puzzles and a pen- but the napkin with the number Claire wrote wasn't in any of them.

"No...impossible- where could-?" Hershel felt panic wash over him at the thought that he had lost it. Wide eyes darted around his office again as he started to rummage through his things. He checked through all of his books, flipping frantically through the pages despite his logical mind telling him there was no way that the paper had been misplaced in one. 

He rifled through his drawers and shelves, papers going flying as his search became frantic.

Impossible. It had to be here. It had to be. He couldn't have lost it. He wouldn't.

What if he did? What if he had lost it and he was never able to contact her again? What if he never saw her again?

He couldn't lose her again. He didn't care what they might be now, if nothing else Claire Foley was his friend and if he lost her yet again he didn't know what he would do.

There was a knock at the door.

"Hersh?" The familiar voice filtered through the wood,"Are you alright buddy?"

The door flung open a moment later and Randall couldn't help his yelp in surprise from the suddenness- before his eyes widened at Hershel's state.

"What on earth? What's wrong?"

"Randall. I need your help. I've lost it!"

"You- you've lost what?"

"The number- the napkin- I can't find it- I need to find it, Randall!"

"Alright, just take a deep breath Hersh. I'll help you find it, but you've got to calm down."

"I can't lose it Randall- I can't lose another one- please-"

Randall furrowed his brows, gently pushing his way inside, closing the door and pulling Hershel to the couch- being mindful not to step on anything that had fallen onto the floor.

"Hershel, sit down and take deep breaths."

"But-!"

"You're making yourself panic. Just sit down, take a moment to collect yourself. Tell me what it is you've lost and I'll look for it, alright?"

Hershel stared up at his old friend after being pushed down into the couch cushions. He knew that he was right, but he couldn't stop the rapid thudding of his heart in his chest.

"Alright...alright. It's- a napkin- it has a phone number written on it. It was in my pocket- I don't know where it's gone-"

"I'll find it." Randall was determined. Hershel could hear it in his voice. He knew that his friend would find it for him- or at the very least try his best. That helped, at least.

He watched as Randall walked about the room, cleaning up the mess he had made and searching in the process. He checked every little nook and cranny as he searched Hershel's office, before he finally came to his desk. He did a quick sweep over it, before he leaned down to pick up some papers that had fallen off it. 

Plucking one up, Randall let out a triumphant 'Aha!'.

"I've got it! It must've fallen out of your pocket when you sat down."

Hershel couldn't help his breath of relief.

Randall placed the papers he'd picked up off the ground in a neat pile on Hershel's desk before coming back over to the couch. He leaned on the table across from the couch, and held the napkin out to Hershel.

"All the fuss over this one little napkin. Why?"

Hershel took the napkin in his hands and brushed over it with his thumbs, smoothing out the creases. He started at it for a very long moment, memorizing the number written on it so if he ever lost it again he would at the very least remember it. A few silent beats passed, before he looked up at Randall. Taking a deep breath, Hershel closed the napkin and put it back safely in his pocket.

"Randall, there's something I want to tell you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOD I'm beyond sorry that this chapter took so long for me to write. I went through a very long phase where I lost my inspiration to write anything other than some short drabbles, if anything at all- and I really didn't want to try and force myself to write a chapter which would end up being lackluster and not have the full potential and idea that I could push into it, which is unfortunately what I feel this chapter is. It's too short and I don't quite think I got the idea I wanted to across, but I really wanted to put something out to show that I haven't forgotten about this fic- I'm just severely lacking in the motivation needed to write. Thank you for those keeping up with this fic and I will do the best that I can to continue it.
> 
> If you want to ask any questions or talk to me in person, my tumblr is https://coffeen0va.tumblr.com/ ! Please come gimme a follow and feel free to yell at me for more chapters or just talk,, I'm going to start leaving my tumblr in the end notes for all the chapters just to let people on there know that I am indeed the person that writes this fic.
> 
> Oh, and I feel the need to restate that Hershel loves his husbands very much. He has absolutely 0 intentions of leaving them for Claire. Hershel just has very serious issues about losing people, considering everything that happened to him in the games (I hope I portrayed that properly)


End file.
